Date: Wed, 12 Apr 2000 16:38:09 -0700 From: Jean Richter Subject: 4/12/2000 P.E.R.S.O.N. Project news 1. NE: Hate speech proposal rejected 2. Article: Where homophobia does the most harm - children 3. NY: Article: Schools must protect all students ====================================================================== From: Niwt@angelfire.com Subject: Hate-Speech Proposal Rejected Reply-To: Nick Turner This message was sent to you by: Nick Turner Comments from sender: This is to be printed on April 1, 2000 in the Omaha World Herald in Omaha, Nebraska. Please visit http://www.angelfire.com/ne2/millardstudents - or e-mail me at Niwt@angelfire.com if you would like to be a part of our next step in overcoming this hurdle. Thank you - Nick Turner. Hate-Speech Proposal Rejected The Millard School District has rejected a request from students to expand the district's policy governing hate speech... You can check out the entire story on Omaha.com at: http://www.omaha.com/OWH/StoryView/1,,324326,00.html Omaha.com: Your Best Source for Omaha News Online! ==================================================================================== From: SARATOGANY@aol.com Date: Sat, 1 Apr 2000 14:56:59 EST Subject: Where Homophobia Does the Most Harm....Children Msg fwd by: The Coalition for Safer Schools of NYS, PO Box 2345, Malta, NY 12020 Email to: saratogany@aol.com "The Actual or Perceived GLBT Student Protection Project" ========================================================= This message has been distributed as a free informational service for the expressed interest of non-profit research and educational purposes only. Washington Post, March 1, 2000 1150 15th Street NW, Washington, DC, 20071 ( Online Mailer: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/edit/letters/letterform.htm ) Where Homophobia Does the Most Harm By Judy Mann Let's venture down memory lane to the wonderful world of high school, when everybody's favorite subject was picking on people who were "different." Ridicule was a high art form; so was snickering behind kids' backs. Isolating people who were different was another cruel peer punishment. You didn't complain to school authorities, because they didn't care. [Deleted article. filemanager@qrd.org] ================================================================================= From: SARATOGANY@aol.com Date: Sun, 2 Apr 2000 08:20:39 EDT Subject: NYSSBA's ON BOARD: We Must Protect ALL Students' Rights, By Ellen Seigel Msg fwd by: The Coalition for Safer Schools of NYS, PO Box 2345, Malta, NY 12020 Email to: saratogany@aol.com "The Actual or Perceived GLBT Student Protection Project" ========================================================= This message has been distributed as a free informational service for the expressed interest of non-profit research and educational purposes only. New York State School Board Association's ON BOARD www.nyssba.org March 6, 2000 We Must Protect ALL Students' Rights (hardcopy version only) By: Ellen Seigel Two years ago, a fellow board member came to me and pointed out that we were not serving a whole group of students: our gay/lesbian/bisexual students. We brought this thought to our superintendent who recognized the seriousness of the matter. He insti- tuted a district-wide committee - administrators, teachers, nurses, psychologists, guidance counselors, social workers, support staff, stu- dents,parents, and board members to explore the issues of this invis-ible minority. Although racial and ethnic slurs heard in classrooms and hall- ways are stopped immediately by adults and even by other students, this is not so with gay slurs. The most common derogatory remarks made by second graders to each other are "That's so stupid" and "That's so gay."Surveys indicate that students hear 26 gay bashing remarks a day in middle school and high school. Many are made under the guise of playfulness. Adults allow such comments because they don't know what to say. Until now, virtually no one has addressed this socially permissible prejudice. Left unattended, such remarks can flare into violence against gay students. One only needs to be per- ceived as gay to be at risk of abuse. Mental health and educational pro- fessionals know that the inner self of the child is sensitive to put- downs. There is nothing playful about any of this. The goal is simple: to ensure that gay, lesbian and bisexual stu- dents are experiencing leaming in a safe environment. This is not about special treatment; such an environment is the right of every student. Nor is this about whether we believe that homosexuality is right or wrong. It's about ensuring every child has equal access to excellent education. This can only happen when children feel safe enough to be themselves and not have to hide who they are. Only then can their full creativity be available to the learning process. The "Just the Facts About Sexual Orientation & Youth" booklet that Dr. Laura rejects is a giant step in the right direction. It is endorsed by 10 groups including the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Counseling Association, the American Psychological Association, the American School Health Association, the National Association of School Psychologists and the National Association of Social Workers. The purpose of the booklet is to equip school personnel with understanding about sexual orientation (heterosexuality, homosexuality,bisexuality) and youth. Such an understanding is needed to ensure a safe and non-discriminatory learning environment for all students - where "all" really means "all." Dr. Laura condemns these organizations for advocating for the rights of ALL children including gay, lesbian and bisexual children. The "Just The Facts" booklet is a clear primer for understanding some of our students' sexual orientations, and all school districts would be wise to use it as a springboard for our work to ensure a safe learning environment and prevent violence in schools. Staff in school districts need to be taught how to respond appropriately to harassment that occurs many times daily in our classrooms,hallways, ball fields, lunchrooms, and staff lounges. Kids tease each other every day, which means that feelings are hurt on a regular basis. This is not new. What is new is that adults - educators and administrators - agree that it's time to stop all kinds of harassment so ALL kids can feel safe. Ellen Seigel, CSW is president of the Roslyn School Board. She and Rosyln HomeISchool Coordinator Dorothy McHugh, CSW lead a 16-hour in-service course for educators and administrators called "Sensitivity Training: Teaching in an Age of Sexual Diversity." CSS-NYS Notes: "Just the Facts About Sexual Orientation & Youth: A Primer for Principals, Educators and School Personell" can be download or printed from the GLSEN website at www.glsen.org. Also, school buses are a major area of concern regarding harassment. ============================================================================== ========= John Myers Director of Operations and Programs Coalition for Safer Schools of NYS PO Box 2345 Malta, NY 12020 (518) 587-0176 Email: saratogany@aol.com =================================================================================== Jean Richter -- richter@eecs.berkeley.edu The P.E.R.S.O.N. Project (Public Education Regarding Sexual Orientation Nationally) These messages are archived by state on our information-loaded free web site: http://www.youth.org/loco/PERSONProject/